What Fast Food Restaurants Offer Low Carb Options?

January 3, 2026 •

4 min read

According to a 2024 study, the fast-food industry continues to grow, yet more people are seeking healthier, lower-carb dining alternatives. Fortunately, adapting popular menu items can help you find what fast food restaurants offer low carb options, making it possible to stick to your dietary goals even when you're on the go.

Quick Summary

This guide provides an overview of low-carb choices at several popular fast-food chains, detailing specific menu items and customization strategies. It covers bunless burgers, tailored salads and bowls, and tips for modifying breakfasts to fit a low-carb lifestyle. Strategies for ordering, like controlling condiments, are also highlighted.

Key Points

Go Bunless for Burgers: Order your burger without the bun and ask for a lettuce wrap or a bowl to eliminate a major source of carbs.
Smart Salad Choices: Opt for salads with grilled meats and low-carb dressings, while avoiding croutons and sugary sauces.
Customize Burrito Bowls: At chains like Chipotle, build a low-carb bowl by using a lettuce base and filling it with proteins, cheese, and guacamole instead of rice and beans.
Modify Breakfast Sandwiches: Skip the biscuit, muffin, or bun on breakfast sandwiches to make them low-carb, focusing on the egg, cheese, and meat.
Substitute Starchy Sides: Choose a side salad or steamed vegetables over high-carb options like fries, mashed potatoes, or mac and cheese.
Choose Grilled Over Fried: Select grilled chicken options over breaded and fried alternatives, as they are naturally lower in carbs.
Avoid Sugary Condiments: Be mindful of hidden sugars in sauces and dressings like ketchup and honey mustard, and opt for mustard, mayonnaise, or ranch instead.
Check Nutrition Information: Take advantage of online nutritional guides to plan your meal and ensure you're making the best choices for your dietary goals.

Your Guide to Low-Carb Fast Food

Eating on a low-carb diet can be challenging, but the fast-food landscape has evolved significantly to accommodate various dietary needs. With a few simple modifications and a little menu savvy, you can enjoy a satisfying meal without compromising your health goals. The key is knowing what to order and what to avoid, focusing on protein-rich items and fresh vegetables while skipping sugary sauces and starchy sides. Many popular chains now offer customizable meals that can be easily adapted for a low-carb lifestyle.

Bunless and Protein-Style Burgers

For many, the burger is the ultimate fast-food meal, and it’s surprisingly easy to make it low-carb. The bun is the primary source of carbohydrates, and most restaurants are happy to serve your burger without it. Instead, you can ask for it wrapped in lettuce, also known as "protein-style" at places like In-N-Out. At McDonald's, you can simply order a cheeseburger with no bun. Similarly, Wendy's Double Stack or Baconator can be ordered bunless, providing a high-protein, low-carb meal. Carl's Jr./Hardee's and Burger King also offer easy bunless options. Just be mindful of high-sugar condiments like ketchup and opt for mustard, mayonnaise, or a drizzle of olive oil instead.

Fast-Food Salads and Bowls

Salads are a great go-to for low-carb eating, but they require careful customization. Many pre-made salads come with high-carb toppings and sugary dressings that can sabotage your diet. The best strategy is to build your own or ask for specific modifications. For instance, at Chipotle, you can build a keto-friendly bowl with a lettuce base, carnitas or chicken, cheese, guacamole, and salsa while skipping the rice, beans, and corn. At Chick-fil-A, the Cobb Salad with grilled chicken is a solid choice, as long as you use a low-carb dressing like the Avocado Lime Ranch instead of a sugary alternative. Subway and Jersey Mike's offer a similar concept, where you can get any sub prepared "in a tub" with all the fillings and none of the bread.

Choosing Low-Carb Breakfasts

Breakfast on the go doesn't have to be a carb-fest. Several fast-food restaurants offer breakfast options that can be modified to be low-carb. The simplest approach is to order any breakfast sandwich and ask for no biscuit, muffin, or bun. At Chick-fil-A, an Egg White Grill without the English muffin or a Sausage, Egg and Cheese without the biscuit are excellent choices. Hardee's offers a Low Carb Breakfast Bowl with eggs, sausage, cheese, and bacon for a substantial and diet-friendly start to your day. Even Starbucks has options like the Bacon and Gruyere Sous Vide Egg Bites, which are rich in protein and low in carbs.

Making Smart Substitutions

Beyond just removing the bun, smart substitutions are critical for keeping fast-food meals low-carb. Always ask for grilled instead of breaded or fried chicken, like the Grilled Nuggets at Chick-fil-A. For sides, skip the fries, mashed potatoes, or macaroni and cheese. Instead, opt for a side salad, celery sticks (if available), or a fruit cup without added sugar. The Kale Crunch Side from Chick-fil-A is a great example of a lower-carb, vegetable-based side that works well. Remember to check nutritional information online when possible, as some items may contain hidden sugars or carbs, particularly in sauces and dressings. Many fast-food companies provide detailed nutritional guides on their websites or mobile apps.

Low-Carb Fast Food Comparison Table


Restaurant	Low-Carb Main Dish	Preparation Notes	Common High-Carb Pitfalls to Avoid
Chipotle	Keto Salad Bowl or Custom Bowl	Ask for a lettuce base and load up on grilled meats, cheese, guac, and salsas.	Rice, beans, and corn salsa. Stick to fresh vegetables and protein.
Chick-fil-A	Grilled Nuggets or Cobb Salad	Choose grilled chicken over breaded. Opt for a low-carb dressing like Avocado Lime Ranch.	Waffle fries, milkshakes, and sweet dressings.
McDonald's	Any Burger (no bun)	Simply ask for "no bun" and use mustard or mayonnaise as a low-carb condiment.	Buns, ketchup, and french fries.
Wendy's	Double Stack or Baconator (no bun)	Order bunless. Ask for a side salad instead of fries.	Buns, fries, and sugary Frosties.
In-N-Out	Burger "Protein-Style"	The burger is wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. Ask for extra veggies.	The bun and fries.
Subway/Jersey Mike's	"Sub in a Tub" or Unwich	Get any sub's fillings served in a bowl or wrapped in lettuce.	Bread, high-sugar sauces, and chips.

Conclusion

While fast food is typically associated with high-carb, high-calorie meals, a growing number of restaurants are making it easier to eat healthily on the go. By focusing on protein and fresh vegetables and making simple modifications like going bunless or asking for salads, you can find satisfying low-carb meals at nearly any major fast-food chain. A little planning and an understanding of your options can prevent the temptation to stray from your dietary goals when time is tight. This guide offers a starting point, but always remember to customize to your personal preference and dietary needs. For more information on navigating low-carb diets in a variety of settings, consider consulting resources like the Atkins website.

Key Takeaways

Go Bunless: Almost any burger can become a low-carb meal by asking for it without the bun, often served in a lettuce wrap instead.
Customize Your Salad: Choose salads with grilled proteins and low-carb dressings, avoiding sugary toppings and croutons.
Build Your Own Bowl: At places like Chipotle, you have full control to create a keto-friendly bowl by skipping rice and beans.
Modify Your Breakfast: Order breakfast sandwiches without the biscuit, muffin, or bun to significantly reduce carbs.
Watch the Condiments: Many sauces and dressings are high in sugar; stick to low-carb options like mustard, mayonnaise, or oil-based dressings.
Prioritize Grilled Proteins: Always choose grilled chicken or meats over their breaded and fried counterparts.
Choose Smart Sides: Swap out fries, buns, and other starchy sides for a side salad, fruit cup, or vegetable-based alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and In-N-Out are often cited as top choices for keto-friendly fast food. Chipotle offers customizable bowls, Chick-fil-A has grilled chicken options and customizable salads, and In-N-Out serves burgers 'protein-style' in lettuce wraps.

Yes, you can. The simplest method is to order any burger and ask for it without the bun, often referred to as 'bunless.' You can eat it with a fork or ask for a lettuce wrap for a cleaner meal.

When ordering a fast-food salad, avoid high-carb toppings like croutons, tortilla strips, and sugary dried fruits. Also, be careful with dressings, as many are loaded with sugar; opt for oil-based dressings, vinegar, or ranch instead.

Yes. Many restaurants, including Chick-fil-A and Hardee's, offer low-carb breakfast options by simply removing the high-carb bread component. You can get breakfast sandwiches without the biscuit or muffin, or choose egg and meat platters.

At McDonald's, you can order any burger without the bun. For a simple breakfast, you can order a sausage patty and a scrambled egg. Just be sure to avoid ketchup and sugary beverages.

A 'protein-style' burger, famously offered at In-N-Out, is a burger patty with all the traditional toppings, but served wrapped in large lettuce leaves instead of a bread bun. It's a popular and tasty low-carb alternative.

Yes, but they require smart choices. You should avoid fries and other fried sides. Look for side salads, grilled vegetables (like Chick-fil-A's Kale Crunch Side), or ask if they offer any vegetable-based sides.